Penetrating arrangement

ABSTRACT

A metal penetrating arrangement in which a steel projectile containing a sample contents is penetrated by a propellant actuated steel needle provided with an electro-deposited indium plating or coating. The coating has a 0.0001 to 0.0002 inch thickness that surrounds the entire needle for penetration of the projectile wall without fusion therebetween.

ljited States Patent 1 1 11 1 3,782,239

Wick et al. Jan. 1, 1974 PENETRATING ARRANGEMENT [56] References Cited[75] Inventors: Reyburn Wick, Southampton; Bruce UNITED ST ES P TENTSTravor, Holland, both of Pa. l,380,773 6/1921 Clay t. 102/52 [73]Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Primary Examiner samuel Engle Army Washington, DC Attorney-HarryM. Saragovitz et al.

[22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21 Appl. N0.: 215,330 A metalpenetrating arrangement in which a steel projectile containing a samplecontents is penetrated by a propellant actuated steel needle providedwith an [52] 86/1 89/1 electro-deposited indium plating or coating. Thecoat- [511 lm Cl F42b 33/60 ing has a 0.0001 to 0.0002 inch thicknessthat sur- [58] Fieid "gk' 'f 92 rounds the entire needle for penetrationof the projec- 86/l tile wall without fusion therebetween.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 -16, I L l PENETRATING ARRANGEMENT Theinvention described herein may be manufac tured, used, and licensed byor for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment tous of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to penetrating apparatus, and more particularlyto a propellant actuated metal pene trating arrangement.

A need has existed for means of improving the metal penetration abilityof steel needles used in a propellant actuated device.

It is an object of the invention to provide a metal penetratingarrangement in which the needles have a substantially improvedpenetration ability.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement inwhich fusion is eliminated between a steel penetrator and a steel bodybeing penetrated.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become moreapparent from the following description and accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of a preferred metalpenetrating arrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the needle operatively penetrating thecontainer of FIG. ll.

The projectile (FIG. 1) or other steel vessel containing a samplingfluid has an appropriate adjustable clamp and steel band supportstructure, shown generally at l l, for mounting the retainer or base 12of a propellant actuated unit in which a propellant actuated forcedrives at least the pointed tip of penetrating needle 113 into thecontainer wall at high pressure and low velocity conditions. The piston14 within the substantially cylindrical body 15 that drives needle 13 isactuated by an impulse cartridge 16 that is ignited by an electricallyfired ignition element 17. A suitable sealing adapter 18 precludes lossof sampling contents upon operative penetration of the container.

Heretofore, difficulties have developed due to fusion occurring betweenthe steel needle 13 and steel container E0.

The steel needle 13 has a plurality of elongated slots 20 (FIGS. 1, 2)provided in the lateral surface thereof to facilitate deployment ofappropriate syringe equipment (not shown) in order to remove samplesfrom within the container. As shown in FIG. 2 the steel needle 13 has anelectro-deposited indium plating or coating 22 covering its entiresurface. When the needle tip is operatively driven to penetrate thesteel container 10, the 0.0001 to 0.0002 inch coating or plating ofindium prevents fusion of the steel members and the penetration of theneedle tip caused a plastic flow or deformation of the aperturedcontainer material in opposed directions along the needle surface. Thisdeformation includes a petalling of the container inner surface at 24.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In a propellant actuated penetrating arrangement having a steelsurfaced fluid sample container, a base member, means for securing saidbase member against a peripheral surface of said container, a pointedtip steel needle slidably mounted in said base member, and propellantmeans for driving said needle a predetermined distance into saidcontainer, said needle having a plurality of longitudinally extendingelongated slots in its peripheral surface, said slots beingsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said needle, saidslots extending over a substantial portion of the exterior surface ofsaid needle thereby defining an operative passageway from the interiorof the sample container to the exterior thereof.

said needle having means for eliminating fusion between said needle andcontainer during penetration of the container by said needle, saidfusion eliminating means including a thin plating of electrodepositedindium covering the entire surface of said needle.

2. The structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said container is aprojectile, a sample contents is located in the projectile at apredetermined location, and said indium plating has a thickness in therange of 0.0001 to 0.0002 inches.

2. The structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said container is aprojectile, a sample contents is located in the projectile at apredetermined location, and said indium plating has a thickness in therange of 0.0001 to 0.0002 inches.